Damper-regulator.



J. WILKINSON.

DAMPER REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED my 14, 1913.

1 ,09 3, 1 6 1 Pa ented Apr. 14, 1914.

a es Wilkinson b @i i 11 His o bborne UNI TED STATES rArnnr I tors, of which the following is a specifica-' respect to theboiler is a diaphra tained in a casing 6. Steam or ot er vapor.

' JAMES wrnxmson, or scnmncnn'v, new YORK, issruivdh tinnnnnnn'mc rnrc COMPANY, A conr'om'rron or new You;

DAilP'EBFBEGU-LATOR. j 7

Specification of Letters Patent. Pat nt d 14, 1911;

Application filed May 14, 1913. serial No. 767,491.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known t at I, JAMES. WILKINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Damper-Regulation.

The present invention relates to steam generating plants and has for its object to provide an improved mechanism for regulating the position of a damper located in the flue or stack through-which the exhaust gases escape to the atmosphere so that the boiler will deliver the proper amount of vapor at the predetermined pressure.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 illustrates a boiler plant fitted with my improved mechanism, and Fig. 2 is a etail view of a suitable devicefor creating a pressure difference in response to changes in the rate of flow of fluid from the boiler.

1 indicates a boiler or vapor generator of any suitable construction which is heated by a coal fire or other means indicated at 2. The exhaust gases after heating the boiler pass to atmosphere through the stack or flue 3. Steam or other vapor passes from the boiler by the main 4.-to engines or other consumption devices.

Situated at some convenient point with 5 conunder-pressure is conveyed to the under side of the diaphragm by the pipe 7 Attached to or supported by the upper side of the diaphragm is a device 8 that forms an adjustable fulcrum sensitive to boiler pressure for the movable member 9which in the present embodiment of my invention takes the form of a lever. At one end of the lever is a fulcrum 10 whose position is normally fixed. This lever is given a constant tendency to move downward against the action of the vapor pressure by suitable means, such as the spring 11 or spring and weight 12. By changing the tension of the spring by .its adjusting nut or sliding the weight on the lever the force acting 1n opposition to the vapor pressure can be changed. The spring 11 should be so-calibrated and-arran ed as to compensate for the complete shiftlng of the mercury from minimum to maximum deversely as the mercury flows backward toing the lever 9 andparts associated there ward a condition of equilibrium inthe mercury containing vessel the lever should move gradually upward. In other words,'the resistance of the spring should vary with changes in displacement of the mercury in the vessel with respect to the fulcrum 10. Without the spring or some equivalent means the lever would moveits full distance whenever the mercury in the vesel was so distributed as to'overbalance the opposing force of-the diaphragm.

Mounted on the lever or so related thereto that it affects the same isa vessel 13 con-- taining a U-shaped chamber which contains mercury 14 .or some other fluid heavier than the vapor generated by theboiler. As the mercury is displaced from one leg to the other of the chamber it will cause a;-greater or less deflection of the free end of the lever about its fulcrum 10. That is to say as the mercury isforced from the right Into:

the left-hand part of the chamber its weight will overcome the vapor pressure acting through the diaphragm and move the free end of the lever downward. When perinitted to flow back into the right-hand part of thechamber the vapor pressure will lift the free end of the lever toa greater or less amount. To state-'the matter broadly and in another way, the mercury forms an adjustable weight on the lever 9 whose effec-' tive action thereon varies in response tochanges-inthe rate of flow of vapor from the generator.

Since the ultimate object of the apparatus.

is to change the position of a regulator such as a damper 15 in the flue to vary the effective draft on the fire in accordance with variations in the amount of fluid flowing through the main as well as to adjust it subject to changes in pressure-I mount in the main an agent of any suitable character by which a pressure difference is created whose value changes with changes in the rate of flow of thevapor' passing through the main and which is transmitted to the mercury containing vessel. As an example, I have shown a plug 16 having orifices 17 facing the moving'eoflumn of fluid and one or more orifices -18 facing in theoppositedirection. Such a latter to the trailing orifice.

commonly referred to as the leading orifices and theopenings 18 as trailing orifices..--

The di erence in fluid pressure due to the action of the vapor column and the agent is conveyed to the legs of the vessel 13 by the pipes L and T, the former being connected to the leading orifices in the agent and the Since the vessel moves with the lever 9 these pipes are each provided with a flexible connection 19 which permits this action to take place without opposing undue opposition thereto.

The damper 15 may be operated by different means. As shown it is rovided with an arm carrying a segment 0 a gear 20 that meshes with a rack 21 attached to the upper end of a piston rod 22.

23 indicates a motor comprising a cylinder and a piston, the latter being attached to the rod 22. The motor is controlled by a pilot valve or controller 24: which is attached to and moved by-the lever 9. Surrounding thevalve is a ported sleeve 25 which is attached at its upper endto a lever 26 by a pin and slot connection or equivalent means. One end of this lever has a fixed fulcrum 27, the

' other end being suitably attached to the piston rod 22. The rod, sleeve and lever 26 ,form a follow-up device to prevent over travel of the motor piston. Pipe 28 conveys fluid under pressure such as steam, water, air or liquid-to the pilot valve and pipes 29 'andjSO the exhaust therefrom. Pipes 31 anddamper 15 to increase or decrease the effective outlet area of the flue 3 and hence the draft on the fire. When the piston rod 22 moves it adjusts the sleeve 25 through the lever 26 to close the ports leading to the motor and in this manner to stop the piston. Assuming now that the boiler pressure remains constant and the rate of flow of vapor through the main 4' increases or decreases, a certain pressure difference corresponding to said rate of flow will be conveyed from the agent through the pipes L and T to the vessel l3 and the mercury willlbe displaced to a greater or less extent from one leg to the other. Assuming that the rate of flow increases mercury will be forced from the right to the left hand leg of the vessel and this shifts the center of gravity of its mass farther from the fulcrum 10 of the lever. This 1 results in moving the pilot valve downward by the amount of spring tension released, permitting fluid under pressure to enter the motor .from the pipe 28 and raise its piston and in so doing open the damper 15 wider and increase the draft on the fire. As before stated the movement of the rod 22 and lever 26 will adjust the sleeve 25 and prevent over travel. If the flow decreases the damper will be closed by the same means acting in the. opposite direction and to a greater or less extent.

Of course a change in boiler ressure may and probably would be 'coincldent with a change in the rate of flow but to facilitate an understanding of my invention I have described the operations separately.

My improved mechanism has the adyantage that it responds instantly to variations in demand and does not require decided change of operating conditions to take place before the proper remedy is applied. As a result of this the boiler losses in the plant will be decreased for each boiler will perform its proper share of the .work instead of one doing a larger and another a small part. My improved arrangement is of articular importance where a number of b01 ers supply vapor in multiple to a header or rece1ver from which the vapor flows to the consumption devices.

In accordance with the provisions of the' patent statutes, I have described the prin-- ciple of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure.

' by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In combination, a boiler, a source of heat, a flue for the exhaust gases, a'regulator for the draft due to said flue, a main for conveying vapor from the boiler, a means sensitive to changes of pressure of the vapor in the boiler for adjusting the regulator, and a means sensitive to changes in the rate of flow of'vapor through the main from'the boiler which also adjusts the regulator.

2. In combination, a boiler, a source of heat, a fine for the exhaust gases, a regulator for the draft due to said flue, a motor for moving the regulator, a controller therefor, a main for conveying vapor from the boiler, a means sensitive to changes of presable member which determines the position for conveying vapor from the boiler, amovofthe regulator, a means sensitive to changes in the rate of flow of'fluid through the main, and a means sensitive to changes in boiler pressure, both of said last mentioned means cooperating to move said ported by the means, a fluid containing vessel that'acts on the member to move it, an agent adapted to cause a pressure difference which varies as the rate of flow of vapor through the main changes and communicates thispressure difference to the vessel to displace the fluid therein and cause it to move the member, and means responsive to the movements of: the member for adjusting the regulator.

5. In combination, a boiler, a source of heat,a flue for the exhaust gases, a regulator for the draft due to said flue, a main conveying vapor from the boiler, an agent in the main which causes a pressure difference dependent upon the rate of flow of vapor through the main, a means sensitive to changes in boiler pressure, a device connected to the agent and movable subject to the pressure difference due to the agent, a member jointly acted upon by the device and said boiler pressure responsive means, and'mechanisI-n responsive to movements of the member to adjust the regulator.

6. In combination, a boiler, a source of heat, a fine for the exhaust gases, a regulator. for the draft due tosaid flue, a main conveying vapor from the boiler, an agent in the main which causes a pressure difference dependent upon the rate of flow of vapor in the main, a means sensitive to boiler pressure, a movable member having a fixed pivot, a fulcrum therefor carried by the pressure sensitive means, a vessel connected to the agent and mounted on the member, which contains liquid Whose center of gravity is displaced with respect to the pivot as the rate of flow of vapor through the main changes, a motor for adjusting the regulator, a controller therefor which is connected to the member, and a follow-up device to prevent over travel of the motor.

7. In combination, a boiler, a source of heat, a flue for the exhaust gases, a regulator for the draft due to said flue, a main conveying vapor from the boiler, an agent in the mam which causes a pressure dlfi'erence dependent upon the rate of flow of vapor in the main, a means sensitive to boiler pressure, a lever which has a fixed pivot, a fulcrum for the lever moved by said means, a vessel having a chamber containing liquid, the said vessel being mounted on thelever and connected to the agent so that theoliquid will be displaced from one part of the chamber to the other as the rate of flow of vapor in the main changes to vary the load on the lever, a motor connected to the regulator for moving it, a pilot valve for the motor which is connected to the lever, a ported sleeve surrounding the pilot valve, and a level that is attached tothe sleeve and to a moving part of the motor to prevent over-travel of the motor piston.

8. In combination, a boiler, a source of heat, a flue for the exhaust ases, a regulator for the draft due to the ue, a main for conveying vapor "from the boiler, a means sensitive to changes of pressure of the vapor, a means sensitive to changesin the rate of flow of vapor through the main, a member which is acted upon jointly by said means to adjust the regulator, and a yielding means that acts on said member.

9. In combination, a boiler, a source of heat, a flue for the exhaust ases, a regulator for the draft due to the ue, a main for conveying vapor from the boiler, a means sensitive to changes of pressure of the vapor a means sensitive to changes in the rate of flow of vapor through themain, a member which is acted upon jointly by said meansto adjust the regulator, and an adjustable spring that acts on said member in opppsition to the pressure sensitive means.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 12th-day of May, 1913.

JAMES WILKINSON. 

